Shaan on favouritism in the music industry: I don’t want to be in any camp, never been in one

Shaan says that earlier singers were given chances on the basis of talent, but now, the person who is paying the money is controlling the show.

Looking back at the years gone by in the Hindi music scene, Shaan says the industry has come a long way, and today, it’s all about the person who pays “controls the show”.

Shaan says he’d like to believe that he is everyone’s favourite

The singer recalls, “In the early days of movie making, in the 1930 and ‘40s, companies hired their own composers, singers, artists and actors on a monthly basis. Somewhere down the line, in the last few years, the situation ahs become like this where music company might insist to work with their artists.”

Singer Sonu Nigam had mentioned in a recent vlog that only two music companies run the music industry. Mention this to Shaan and he says it’s not necessarily two; a lot of people have got into that kind of space.

“Basically, it’s about ‘What do I get if I give you this opportunity?’ Earlier, it was just purely on the basis of talent and credit, and left to the discretion of composers or directors. Now more than just the movie and music, the person who is paying the money is controlling the show.”

Favouritism, too, Nigam had alleged, is rampant in the music sphere. Shaan says he has consciously never been a part of any group or camp. “I am everyone’s favourite, I like to believe that,” he quips.

However, he is quick to add on a serious note, “I don’t want to be in any camp, I have never been in one. I never had to comply with anyone’s rules, or bow down to anything, I have been fortunate to be that way, and rather not be in any camps. You discover more things about yourself when you do that.”